Thoughts on TCM

[mrsl]

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For well over 10 years I've been a TCM fan. I love classic movies and am more interested in the private lives of the stars of the golden age than those of today. However, as has been said before, just because it's old, does not mean it's a classic. After all these years we've all seen most of the classic super movies of the Gables, Grants, Garsons, Crawford, Davis', and Coopers, etc. I myself, have sat countless times happily watching Casablanca over and over and always seeing something new with each viewing. My problem, I've finally figured out, is I'm a little more worldly than the average movie goer of the late 20's and early 30's. I don't mean to sound boastful at all, but with education and years of working with the public, some of the older movies are just not that interesting to me. I can guess the dialog and the end of the plot often within the first half hour, if not sooner. Oddly, I have seen movies that were remade within 10 years of the original, and in most cases, I much preferred the remake, because by then the actors had honed their talents to a fine tuned, higher bar. e.g. I much preferred His Girl Friday to The Front Page, and An Affair to Remember over Love Affair, and so many others. Yet, with better equipment, and more versatile equipment, today's remakes barely compare with their originals. Today's artists consider better to be bigger, or louder, and because of the departure of the studio system, today's actors no longer have that string of 3 or 4 years to practice and learn their craft as their predecessors did.

At one time TCM was on my television 24/7 while I glomed up those old classics, but recently, too many simply old movies have been appearing. I still love the series like Maizie, The Saint, and others, but those can only be shown so often also. In addition, being a Western fan, TCM rarely shows western movies, except included in birthday days, or Star of the Month days, so I have started to channel surf more. Having a channel devoted to westerns helps, but it too shows many, many reruns during each month.

This is one reason I like this particular board. It has evolved from the TCM board, but since it is not backed by TCM, we are free to discuss other channels. I don't feel proper discussing the Western Channel on the TCM board. It's kind of like biting the hand that feeds you or something similar. I'm still grateful to TCM for being there - I would still be lost without it. I'm enjoying the Moguls and Movies series tremendously, and love the Tuesday/Thursday primetime for Star of the Month.

I hope this was not taken as a complaint. I simply do not find a lot to discuss lately because it seems a few other people are like me in that after 5 or 6 viewings of admired movies, a break is needed to find new avenues to explore.
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[MikeBSG]

I really like TCM, and I'm glad that it's there.

I don't watch it as much as I used to, largely because I have problems scheduling the time to start watching a movie from 8 PM to 10 PM (or any set time). Largely I rely on Netflix or Facets, because then I can pop a DVD into the machine at a time when I know I can watch it. I need to be my own scheduler, it seems.

[Uncle Stevie]

Anne,

Thank you for your soul searching comments about watching many many movies. I agree whole heartedly with you and have become a different person because of it. My movie choices have been to collect my own movies so I could surround myself with mostly creations I liked. I now have 410 films in my collection and have watched many more than 10 times. But as you said, it is tiring watching predictable plots. I have become a "fast forward" expert and sometimes I just go to the one two or three segments of the film I especially like best. I have become totally tired of silliness in movies and always skip over those "time fillers" they used to call comedy. I have overly studied acting abilities and dancing abilities and even kissing abilities. Some kissing is awful since most of the men and women kiss too hard or too quickly and without feeling. I like the emotion that should be there and many of the oldies only have emotion in the dialogue but not in the acting.

I have taken a break from my most favorite stars and are now concentrating on some I did not care for as much when I started my movie quest. As you know, I am a huge romantic musical fan but now I try to imagine how all the black and white musicals would look in color. I am whacked out, I think.

[mrsl]

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Uncle Stevie:

Thank you for your comments. You got just what I wanted to convey which is what you gain from TCM. One point you made which had not occurred to me was how much easier it is to build collections of DVD's than it was with video film. I still don't understand why the life of a film in the theaters is less than two or three weeks before they go to DVD and pay per view TV. e.g. Avatar is now on HBO for all to see. Granted it may not have the impact of the large theater screen, but a flat 52" screen does a pretty good job on a special movie. I've been waiting for Eat, Pray, Love to come to our suburban movie theater, but missed it somehow and now it's on DVD. If I wait a few months, I'll be able to buy it for $5.00, so what is the use of even having limited engagements? I've never missed a Julia Roberts movie and feel somehow cheated. In any case, TCM has been a good friend but since I no longer have to pore over the movie guide to set my VCR to record movies, my time is left to search for other channels that show classics and/or westerns.

My DVD collection is really eclectic ranging from Holiday Inn to Mamma Mia and Casablanca to The Way We were. With so many places to order movies at really low prices, I just order away for the titles I love thanks to TCM, such as Stars in my Crown which I had never heard of until it showed on TCM. The difference is that I'm not all that versed in pixels and such, so I'll take an older print, as long as I get the whole movie.


* * * * * * * HAPPY THANKSGIVING * * * * * * *

[Rita Hayworth]

This KINGME 1st post -

I'm big fan of Turner Classic Movies (TCM for short) and I often watch 8-12 hours a week ranging from film noir, drama,
westerns, and other classics as well. They sure have a wide range of movies - and I often visit TCM to find out what is playing that day and watch the good ole movies from the 30's to the 70's with great joy and reverence.

I'm a big fan of Hollywood Starlets (Gene Tierney, Hedy Lamarr, Rita Hayworth, and others), Westerns, World War II Movies, and everything in between - I will be spending some time in this wonderful website and get myself familiar with it and share my thoughts on anything that this website has to offer.

[moira finnie]

Welcome, kingme. You'll find many members who share your interests. We have threads devoted to several of those you mentioned enjoying. I hope you'll look around, make yourself at home and join in the discussions--or start a few of your own too.

[JackFavell]

Hi, Kingme!

[MissGoddess]

Welcome, Kingme! It's always a pleasure to welcome a new westerns fan!

[Rita Hayworth]

Welcome, Kingme! It's always a pleasure to welcome a new westerns fan!

Miss Goodness - My favorite Westerns are True Grit (loved the remake), Silverado, pretty much of all the John Waynes, and others. I'm stunned by the sheer numbers of topics here and I will be spending a lot of time browsing through these subject matters and - like yourself - I simply love movies.

I will try to be a good contributor to this wonderful website.

Thanks for the kind words and all.

[MissGoddess]

Welcome, Kingme! It's always a pleasure to welcome a new westerns fan!

Miss Goodness - My favorite Westerns are True Grit (loved the remake), Silverado, pretty much of all the John Waynes, and others. I'm stunned by the sheer numbers of topics here and I will be spending a lot of time browsing through these subject matters and - like yourself - I simply love movies.

I will try to be a good contributor to this wonderful website.

Thanks for the kind words and all.

I hope you get to watch THE HANGING TREE on TCM tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. (EST). It's extremely rare and quite interesting I think. I enjoy True Grit though I haven't seen the remake yet. I'll have to rent it when it comes to DVD. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is my favorite John Wayne western...and my favorite western period. Please keep posting and let us know more of your favorites!

[movieman1957]

Showed the bride Wayne's "True Grit." She thought it very boring. I guess I'm going to the new one on my own.

[JackFavell]

I'd love to see it again. I wanted to go with hubby but he doesn't want to spend the money.

[movieman1957]

I'll treat.

[JackFavell]

You're on!

[knitwit45]

If I buy the popcorn, can I come along? LOVED the new one.